Change the following exclamatory sentences into indirect speech.
1.    ‘How wonderful it is to meet you at last,’ the fan said to the movie star at the party.
2.    ‘How difficult this problem is!’ said Ravi to me in the exam hall.
3.    Gazing at the majestic mountains I said, ‘What a beautiful sight!’
4.    The general said, ‘Oh God! We are completely outnumbered by the enemy!’
5.    ‘Oh no! I missed passing in Maths by only one mark,’ said my brother when he looked at his
        report card.

You are the reporter who interviewed actor Rowan Atkinson (see the interview). You met the editor of the online newspaper you work for and told him that you would like to have your interview published in the next edition of the newspaper. Your editor didn’t have time to read your interview, so he asked you to write a summary of the main information you got for Rowan Atkinson during the interview. He will read your summary and then decide whether to print the interview or not.

A.      Write the summary in 250 words. You could begin in the following way:
In the course of the interview with Rowan Atkinson, I learned that he became an actor by chance. He was actually studying engineering science at Oxford University when....
Note: (Remember, your summary cannot exceed 250 words, so you need to select only what is important. Also remember that you are reporting a conversation you have had earlier, so your summary is to be written in indirect speech.)

Write T beside the statements below which are true and F beside those which are false. Correct the false statements.
a.    Rowan Atkinson studied drama and acting of Oxford University. ........................
b.    Most of Atkinson’s sketches are spontaneous performances. ........................
c.     Richard Curtis was a famous screenwriter when Rowan first met him. ........................
d.    The funny character created by Rowan and Curtis didn’t have a name for ten years. ........................
e.    Rowan Atkinson is definite about not acting as Mr Bean again. ........................

Why, according to Atkinson, are children fascinated with the character of Mr Bean?

Something about Mr Bean’s behaviour in the new film Mr Bean’s Holiday surprises Rowan. What is it?

Why does Rowan feel that he should not do any more Mr Bean sketches or films?

If you were an actor, playing opposite an expert comedian like Rowan Atkinson, what would be the most challenging thing you would have to be able to do? (Hint: Think of Rowan’s co-actor, Max Baldry, in the film Mr Bean’s Holiday.)

“He admits to having conceived the character within a span of 48 hours while he was studying in Oxford. Following the style of old silent films, Mr Bean rarely speaks, but his facial expressions and physical gestures convey the plot of each episode.”

1. Where and when did Rowan Atkinson conceive the character of Mr Bean?

2. What is unique about the character’s way of communication in the series?

3. What style did the series follow to make Mr Bean’s character convey the plot?

What did Rowan Atkinson say about playing Mr Bean again after ‘Mr Bean’s Holiday’?